PRIMARY schools in Widnes and Runcorn have made major improvements in core subject results.

The trend is revealed following the publication of the league tables for primary schools for 2004 which show Halton made overall points increases from 233 to 239.

Average Halton figures are a whisker below the national average point scores which are 237 and 240 respectively.

Taking into account 'value added' scores, which are said to indicate how much pupils have improved, the best performing schools in Halton were based in Runcorn - Castle View (102.4) Holy Spirit RC (102.4), Daresbury with (102.7) and St Berteline's CE (104.6). The four are counted in the country's top 5%.

A spokesman for Halton Borough Council said: 'We are pleased with the improvements made by our schools across all core subjects at Key Stage Two. Our schools are performing broadly in line with national levels of attainment in English (78%) and Maths (73%) and ahead of national levels in Science (87%).'

While the Government claims the league tables are a valuable yardstick by which parents can judge the quality of schools, across England many schools are calling for their abolition. The latest tests were taken by almost 577,000 pupils.

Overall, the tables show results in the national curriculum tests were better this year in 53% of schools but worse in 45%.

Now Labour and Conservatives are at odds over the interpretation of the figures, with Labour claiming they show standards are being raised in primary schools and the Conservatives claiming they are evidence that standards are 'flatlining' and that half of 11-year-olds are still poorly equipped for a move to secondary schools.

Steve Sinnott, of the National Union of Teachers, said continuing the current regime was 'foolhardy' because the figures give no understanding of why some schools do better than others.

THREE Halton Schools have been named as among the best in the country.

Government watchdog the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) yesterday published its annual list of outstanding schools and colleges.

Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, David Bell, praised 457 schools, colleges and other educational institutions across England in the list.

Birchfield Nursery School in Widnes, and Gorsewood Primary School, Murdishaw, and Cavendish School, both Runcorn, were named among the elite.